Category Archives: History

How Dion survived the day the music died

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

In the home section of yesterday’s Wall Street Journal—or, more accurately, the “Mansion” section (it is, after all, The Wall Street Journal 🙂 )—singer Dion DiMucci talks about growing up in the Bronx, with parents who often fought over the $36 … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, Dion, Dion DiMucci, J.P. Richardson, Ritchie Valenz, Rock and roll, rock music, the Big Bopper, the day the music died, Winter Dance Party | 2 Comments

Better Than Brownies (#tbt)

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

In the “First Course” column of yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel food section, editor Nancy Stohs ran a story about a brownie recipe from “Miss Petey” that was so popular with readers that it was published several times over the years, its first … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, History, Life | Tagged "Better Than Brownies" recipe, #tbt, baking, brownies, great-grandparents, Newcomerstown, nostalgia | 5 Comments

The American West or What I did on summer vacation (Take 2)

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

A wonderful post by my friend Sally, in which she visits an old-time saloon in a small Montana town, left behind to vanish almost completely when the railroad abandoned its tracks, to report a cow on the road separated by … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life, Travel | Tagged abandoned towns, American West, history, Montana | Leave a comment

After the line went dead

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

It took only a few seconds for me to figure out what function this alcove most likely used to serve. But a few years from now, there will be young adults who have no memory of pay phones.

Posted in History, Life, Technology | Tagged #tbt, pay phones | Leave a comment

History in the Women’s Room

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

I had an appointment in an older downtown Milwaukee office building yesterday and stopped in the women’s room on my way out. While washing my hands, I noticed this old machine for dispensing “feminine hygiene” products hanging on the wall. Meds Tampons were … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life, Milwaukee | Tagged chewing gum, everyday history, existentialism, feminine hygiene, history, humanities, Kilroy was here, Last Tango in Paris, living history, Marlon Brando, Meds the Modess Tampon, Women's Health, women's history | 5 Comments

Stream of YouTube Consciousness: Fred Astaire, Bob Hope, and Elmer Bernstein at the 1970 Oscars (plus Ellen DeGeneres’s selfie; Janis Joplin’s riveting Monterey Pop Festival performance; and the themes from “Ironside” and The Magnificent Seven)

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

Long title, but bear with me 🙂 I came across this clip of Fred Astaire dancing at the 1970 Academy Awards ceremony the other day—and marveled that one could have watched the Oscars broadcast that year and witnessed such entertainment. (If you … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Movies and film, Music, Popular culture, Television | Tagged "Ironside", 1970 Academy Awards ceremony, 1970 Oscars, 42nd Academy Awards, American Idol, Bob Hope, Clive Davis, Ellen, Ellen DeGeneres selfie, Elmer Bernstein, Fred Astaire, Janis Joplin, John Williams, Magnificent Seven, Mama Cass Elliot, oscars, product placement, Quincy Jones, The Magnificent Seven | 5 Comments

Val. Blatz Brewing Company – 1901 / 1946 / 2015

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

It was the lines that got me. I’ve passed this way so many times, but for some reason the strongly oppositional vertical and horizontal lines had never presented themselves so starkly before. So I had to get out my phone … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, History, Milwaukee, Photography | Tagged Art Moderne, Blatz Brewing Bottle House, Blatz General Company Offices, Downtown Milwaukee, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Val. Blatz Brewing Company | 9 Comments

Choosing the Clarinet

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

When it came time for my kids to join the band in elementary school, selecting an instrument prompted great angst. As they ruminated on each possibility’s merits, they asked why I had decided on the clarinet. How had I known that it was “the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life, Music | Tagged Artie Shaw, Barry Manilow, Benny Goodman, choosing an instrument, clarinet, Guy Lombardo, Henry Cuesta, Jo Ann Castle, Lawrence Welk, Royal Canadians, Woody Herman | 8 Comments

Wham! Pow! Ooof!

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

Fun article the other day in the Wall Street Journal—or, as they like to style themselves: The Wall Street Journal. (← with a period at the end, I have no idea why)—about all the over-the-top villains in the old “Batman” … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Life, Popular culture, Television | Tagged "Batman" television show, camp | 4 Comments

Buddha mummy proves truth about statues

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Katherine Wikoff

Last April I wrote a short post titled “The Truth About Statues” about my childhood belief that statues were made by pouring concrete over dead people—or maybe not dead until AFTER the concrete casing went on! Possibly you’ve seen this photograph and story today? … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, History, Life, News, Science | Tagged art, art history, Buddha mummy, history, mummies, statues | 2 Comments